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~Georgia's Chair~

When my niece comes over she always requests "Georgia's chair" to sit on while eating her snack of crackers that are given to her surreptitiously by her Auntie Barbara ( shhh....don't tell my sister). The chair is a booster chair that we purchased from Ikea about 11 years ago when my son decided that he was Houdini and would slip out of his high chair to sit on a "big" chair. I stumbled across this mini chair at Ikea and for only $19.99, it made its way into our home. It was used by him as a booster chair then desk chair until recently when I realized that being almost 12, uhmm... he is a bit too big. (Hard to realize the baby is growing up)

Last week armed with spray paint I decided to give the chair a face lift. Using a can of black semi-gloss Rustoleum paint I gave the chair the lift it needed. After seeing monogrammed pillows, dressers and chairs with numbers all over blog land and in magazines, I decided to monogram the chair with a "G". My niece, Georgia, who I think is very bright for a 2 1/2 year old, loves to point out letters and say words associated with that letter, such as G for Georgia.

How perfect!

Now she has her very own chair with a G. It also helps that her sister, who is only 6 months, is named Gabriella and can use the chair when she is old enough.

Before:

After:

The how-to:

1. First you choose the desired font and enlarge it. I chose Modern No. 20 and enlarged it to 600.

2. Next you print it out.

3. Cut it out and place on chair in desired location.

4. Using a pencil outline the letter pressing down in order to leave an imprint on the chair.

5. Outline the imprint with pencil.

6. Using acrylic paints and a rounded and square tip paint brush, fill in the outline. I had to paint several coats to get the depth I wanted.

7. Seal seat with a satin varnish, a step I still need to do. My varethane dried out so I need to buy some wipe-on poly.

Now I need to have my sister over for lunch so Georgia can sit on her chair!

Make sure you tell us about Georgia's reaction when she sees the changes - especially the big letter G!! How fun for her!

You know - my 22 year old son still has his wee chair (smaller then Georgia's) that my Mom purchased for him at Ikea for his 1st Christmas (I have this adorable photo of him - 10 months old - climbing up onto that little red chair). Well now - 22 years later, the paint is sooo chipped... but it's as sturdy as ever. Matt loves that chair and says he'll never get rid of it! What a funny guy!! Anyway... your post got me to thinking about grandkids (which I don't plan on having any time soon!)... and about how I can take that little red chair of Matt's, strip it and make it special for HIS first child. I'm getting teary-eyed thinking about it!! Maybe I'd better confiscate that chair from him NOW in case he changes his mind about keeping it!!!!

Oh my gracious! This is the best project I've seen in weeks! I loooove this idea! Thanks for sharing a piece of your brilliance. I need to find a chair. I may do this to my daughters desk chair. I looove it!

Love it my talented sista! Showed the pictures to Georgia, but before and afters on a computer screen are a little too nebulous for a 2 year old. She did say, "It's a G!!" I'm sure she'll love it when she sees it ... just waiting for that lunch or tea invite : )

I have three of that exact chair! I have been thinking of painting them and now you've convinced me. I love the "G". I think I'll do that on mine. Hey! Maybe I'll do it on all of the chairs. My kids would love it. Great idea. And I'm working on a post about how I painted my piano. Thanks for asking. Lisa~

OH my gosh I just adore this! My daughter has a similar chair from ikea. I just showed her yours and she was very excited to have hers in red. We've already sprayed it! Thanks for such a brillian idea.